Newspaper Page Text

4
.
BEACON
NEWSPAPER,
May
13,2010
..E
d
i
t
o
r
i
a
l
:
_
_
■
H
DRAWING
CONCLUSIONS
—by
Kevin
Eastwood
Free
speech
is
sometimes
offensive
speech
Suffolk
lawmakers
DuWayne
Gregory
(D-Amityville)
and
Ricardo
Montano
(D-Brentwood);
are
attempting
persuade
their
colleagues
in
the
legislature
to
apply
econom
ic
sanc­
tions
against
th
e
Smithtown
Messenger,
the
weekly
newspa­
per
that
ran
what
they
and
many
others
believe
was
a
taste­
less
photo
essay
depicting
President
Barack
Obama
and
the
First
Lady
as
characters
from
the
T
V
sitcom
“Sanford
and
Son.”
The
effort
by
Gregory
and
Montano
is
equally
offen­
sive.
The
newspaper,
whose
publisher
Phillip
Sciarello
has
ex­
plained
that
the
photo
was
a
political
satire
and
was
“mind­
ful
that
the
satire
seemed
to
some
in
poor
taste,”
prints
some
o
f
the
county’s
legal
notices.
Gregory
and
Montano
want
to
pull
the
notices,
which
bring
in
between
$2,000
and
$5,000
a
year
to
the
publication.
Operating
without
that
advertising
is
n
o
t
likely
to
hurt
the
newpaper’s
bottom
line
much.
But
elected
officials
who,
in
the
name
o
f
protecting
the
public
from
what
they
determine
to
be
.offensive,
critical,
unfair,
objectionable,
or
racially,
ethnically,
sexually
and
socially
unjust
commentary,
walk
a
dangerous
line.
They
have
no
right
use
their
political
power
and
influence
to
stifle
free
speech.
Is
a
newspaper,
guaranteed
rights
under
the
First
Amend­
ment,
ever
accountable
for
what
it
prints
o
r
broadcasts?
Ab­
solutely.
But
the
press
is
accountable
to
the
people,
not
the
politicians.
The
people
who
oppose
the
newspaper’s
posi­
tion,
and
its
point
o
f
view,
have
the
power
to
impose
their
own
econom
ic
sanctions
by
canceling
their
subscriptions,
bypassing
the
paper
on
the
newsstands
or
pulling
their
ad­
vertising.
They
can
picket
their
corporate
offices
and
even
use
the
newspaper’s
editorial
pages
to
express
their
own
o
ut­
rage,
disgust
and
anger.
R
e
a
d
e
r
s
’
V
o
i
c
e
s
:
Letters
That’s
how
the
system
works,
and
Gregory
and
M
ontano
know
it.
They
are
just
wielding
the
government
hammer
in
an
attempt
to
nail
and
Commentary
some
political
mileage
out
o
f
an
¿issue
that
has
an­
gered
a
group
o
f
their
constituents.
Shame
on
them.
New
EPA
regulations
intrude
fu
rther
into
citizens’
lives—and
hom
es
Dear
Editor:
Mr.
Coyne’s
letter
about
the
EPA
(April
22,
New
EPA
regulations
have
a
negative
impact
on
Long
Is­
land’s
real
estate
values)
brings
up
some
questions.
W
h
y
don’t
the
state
governors
stand
up
and
tell
the
Plenty
o
f
blame
to
go
around
fo
r
illegal
immigration
Dear
Editor:
Your
editorial
o
f
May
5
regarding
illegal
immigra­
tion
appears
to
place
all
the
blame
on
the
federal
gov­
ernment.
You
state
anyone
who
objects
to
what
states
and
communities
have
done,
“
can
thank
the
federal
government.”
I
do
agree
that
the
federal
government
must
accept
the
blame
for
a
sizable
portion
o
f
our
current
illegal
immigration
problem.
However,
local
government
must
also
accept
blame.
A
large
majority
o
f
the
illegals
come
into
our
country
for
jobs.
Instead
o
f
the
federal
government
issuing
national
identification
cards
and
increased
surveil­
lance
o
f
law
abiding
citizens,
it
should
be
our
local
and
state
governments
checking
worksites
where
il­
legals
are
employed.
Sufficient
fines
and
jail
sentences
would
discourage
employers
o
f
illegals.
W
ithout
jobs,
illegal
migration
into
our
country
would
diminish.
As
a
resident
o
f
Long
Island
and
a
homeowner,
I
cannot
do
any
m
ajor
work
on
my
property
without
the
proper
permits.
W
ithout
fail,
almost
every
month
I
receive
a
letter
or
a
flyer
reminding
me
of
the
local
ordinances.
W
hy
is
it
that
homeowners
must
obey
the
law,
but
the
companies
we
hire
to
perform
the
work
around
and
in
our
homes
can
disregard
the
law
by
hiring
undocumented
immigrants?
If
there
is
anyone
else
we
should
blame,
look
in
the
m
ir
r
o
r
.
We
all
are
aware
that
many
o
f
our
landscap­
ers,
tree
removers,
roofing,
siding
and
other
local
re­
pair
services
use
illegals.
We
are
to
blame
for
turning
our
heads,
winking
and
shrugging
off
with
what
is
going
o
n
in
our
own
backyards.
Tony
Mignone,
Massapequa
Park
BEACON
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Copyright1999CJPUBLISHERS,INC.
l
l
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v
D
v
f
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W
/
U
reUNDEM
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WOLFE,
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WOLFE
PUBLISHERS'.
CAROLYN
A
ALFRED
JAMES
9Wff
DONNA
CONSOLA
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7Stfomll
otbeii,
ns
nrnilMt.
federal
government
to
get
out
o
f
our
lives?
The
EPA
has
no
legal
right
to
mandate
anything
since
their
existence
violates
the
Constitution.
It
is
not
provided
for
in
the
Constitution,
therefore
it
is
forbidden
by
the
Tenth
Amendment.
O
f
course,
near­
ly
all
of
the
federal
government
is
illegal
for
the
same
reason.
I
wonder
how
many
people
realize
that,
in
the
1930’s
and
earlier,
all
wiring
on
lamps
and
appliances
had
insulation
made
o
f
a
soft
rubber
covered
with
as­
bestos.
The
EPA
would
have
had
great
fun
with
that.
Also,
as
far
as
I
know,
all
inside
paint
contained
lead.
O
f
course,
I
was
taught
not
to
nibble
on
walls
and
doors.
I
f
I
had,
I
would
have
b
een
in
far
greater
dan­
ger
from
my
father
than
from
the
lead.
Somehow,
I
managed
to
survive
for
80
years
in
spite
o
f
all
the
lead
and
asbestos.
It
might
b
e
interesting
to
see
who
the
EPA
believes
is
going
to
inspect
the
homes.
They
have
n
o
legal
right
to
enter
your
home
for
any
reason,
nor
does
anyone
else.
We
need
to
ask
our
candidates
i
f
they
have
read
and
agree
with
the
Constitution.
This
is
why
I
don’t
consider
Republicans
or
Dem
ocrats
anymore.
The
American
Independent
and
Libertarian
Parties
be­
lieve
in
the
constitution
and
it’s
tim
e
we
insisted
on
its
enforcement
as
it
was
written,
not
as
some
politicians
decide
to
interpret
it.
Claude
Bedell
Mission
Viejo,
California
Subscribers
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m
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Newspaper Page Text

4 . BEACON NEWSPAPER, May 13,2010 ..E d i t o r i a l : _ _ ■ H DRAWING CONCLUSIONS —by Kevin Eastwood Free speech is sometimes offensive speech Suffolk lawmakers DuWayne Gregory (D-Amityville) and Ricardo Montano (D-Brentwood); are attempting persuade their colleagues in the legislature to apply econom ic sanc­ tions against th e Smithtown Messenger, the weekly newspa­ per that ran what they and many others believe was a taste­ less photo essay depicting President Barack Obama and the First Lady as characters from the T V sitcom “Sanford and Son.” The effort by Gregory and Montano is equally offen­ sive. The newspaper, whose publisher Phillip Sciarello has ex­ plained that the photo was a political satire and was “mind­ ful that the satire seemed to some in poor taste,” prints some o f the county’s legal notices. Gregory and Montano want to pull the notices, which bring in between $2,000 and $5,000 a year to the publication. Operating without that advertising is n o t likely to hurt the newpaper’s bottom line much. But elected officials who, in the name o f protecting the public from what they determine to be .offensive, critical, unfair, objectionable, or racially, ethnically, sexually and socially unjust commentary, walk a dangerous line. They have no right use their political power and influence to stifle free speech. Is a newspaper, guaranteed rights under the First Amend­ ment, ever accountable for what it prints o r broadcasts? Ab­ solutely. But the press is accountable to the people, not the politicians. The people who oppose the newspaper’s posi­ tion, and its point o f view, have the power to impose their own econom ic sanctions by canceling their subscriptions, bypassing the paper on the newsstands or pulling their ad­ vertising. They can picket their corporate offices and even use the newspaper’s editorial pages to express their own o ut­ rage, disgust and anger. R e a d e r s ’ V o i c e s : Letters That’s how the system works, and Gregory and M ontano know it. They are just wielding the government hammer in an attempt to nail and Commentary some political mileage out o f an ¿issue that has an­ gered a group o f their constituents. Shame on them. New EPA regulations intrude fu rther into citizens’ lives—and hom es Dear Editor: Mr. Coyne’s letter about the EPA (April 22, New EPA regulations have a negative impact on Long Is­ land’s real estate values) brings up some questions. W h y don’t the state governors stand up and tell the Plenty o f blame to go around fo r illegal immigration Dear Editor: Your editorial o f May 5 regarding illegal immigra­ tion appears to place all the blame on the federal gov­ ernment. You state anyone who objects to what states and communities have done, “ can thank the federal government.” I do agree that the federal government must accept the blame for a sizable portion o f our current illegal immigration problem. However, local government must also accept blame. A large majority o f the illegals come into our country for jobs. Instead o f the federal government issuing national identification cards and increased surveil­ lance o f law abiding citizens, it should be our local and state governments checking worksites where il­ legals are employed. Sufficient fines and jail sentences would discourage employers o f illegals. W ithout jobs, illegal migration into our country would diminish. As a resident o f Long Island and a homeowner, I cannot do any m ajor work on my property without the proper permits. W ithout fail, almost every month I receive a letter or a flyer reminding me of the local ordinances. W hy is it that homeowners must obey the law, but the companies we hire to perform the work around and in our homes can disregard the law by hiring undocumented immigrants? If there is anyone else we should blame, look in the m ir r o r . We all are aware that many o f our landscap­ ers, tree removers, roofing, siding and other local re­ pair services use illegals. We are to blame for turning our heads, winking and shrugging off with what is going o n in our own backyards. Tony Mignone, Massapequa Park BEACON NEWSPAPERS Potiagt Ptid - Brtyton Pott Offlca. Btbyton, NY 11702 (uspso 3968 -ooo) T h o R o a m n Copyright1999CJPUBLISHERS,INC. l l l v D v f l W / U reUNDEM EDWARD D. WOLFE, JANEO. WOLFE PUBLISHERS'. CAROLYN A ALFRED JAMES 9Wff DONNA CONSOLA ¡.manual “THE PAPER THAT WORKS” AoambMion ol newspapers and «»ion» coupling Babylon, Lindenhurst, CopiagtM, Massapaqua, Amtyvfe, North Babytan. Wait Babylon, Wyandanch, Otor Pak, Ota HfeWhaallay Hatfat, Wait Up, Brentwood, Brightwatan, Bay Shore, Up. Ent WLp, Oakdala, Sayvffia, E Ptichoguo, Patchogue, Bohamia, Holbrook, North Undanhurat Main Office: 65 Dear Park Am, Babylon, NY Official Newspaper tor lha lbwna ot Babylon i lalip Official Newspaper tor tha Wage of Babylon and Babylon School District ■ Undonhunt School District WOat B allon School District • Dear Park School District - North Babylon School District ■ West (slip School District ■ Copiague School District - Wyandanch School District the paper that works DEADLINES FOR THE NEXT EDITION:: ADVERTISING: 3 P.M. FRIDAY EDITORIAL 3 P.M. THURSDAY PHONE: (631) 587-5612 FAX: (631) 587-0198 E-MAIL ADDRESS: aqnewsOren.com Postmaster Please return afl change ofaddnamste: iS Deer Park A « , Babylon NY 11701 All Heme aent to The Beacon lor publication oonaideration become Ita property o n t» Beaow. CompoalllwReeponaliliiy:Tta newspaper w i ne» be lable lor erroti appearing«! any advertiaement beyond tie ooat oiapace occupied by the am*. Subscription Rate» By Mail in NY State $25 per year $40 for 2 years Out o f State $35 par year / $40 for 2 jta n Senior Citizens over 65 Take 10* Discount Paid Subscriptions are non-tefundable. Copies: 50< Min 6 wteks of publication. 7Stfomll otbeii, ns nrnilMt. federal government to get out o f our lives? The EPA has no legal right to mandate anything since their existence violates the Constitution. It is not provided for in the Constitution, therefore it is forbidden by the Tenth Amendment. O f course, near­ ly all of the federal government is illegal for the same reason. I wonder how many people realize that, in the 1930’s and earlier, all wiring on lamps and appliances had insulation made o f a soft rubber covered with as­ bestos. The EPA would have had great fun with that. Also, as far as I know, all inside paint contained lead. O f course, I was taught not to nibble on walls and doors. I f I had, I would have b een in far greater dan­ ger from my father than from the lead. Somehow, I managed to survive for 80 years in spite o f all the lead and asbestos. It might b e interesting to see who the EPA believes is going to inspect the homes. They have n o legal right to enter your home for any reason, nor does anyone else. We need to ask our candidates i f they have read and agree with the Constitution. This is why I don’t consider Republicans or Dem ocrats anymore. The American Independent and Libertarian Parties be­ lieve in the constitution and it’s tim e we insisted on its enforcement as it was written, not as some politicians decide to interpret it. Claude Bedell Mission Viejo, California Subscribers can post com m ents on this letter and other letters, stories and articles and photographs in this new spaper at w w w .babylonbeacon.com